Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, July 19: Even as the Central Government led by premier Narendra Modi aims at providing efficient governance and digital services to citizens through the Digital India Platform launched recently, a major cyber scam in the Electricity Department has come to fore.
Before the valediction of the Digital India week in these islands during which various government departments observed befitting programmes including awareness camps on cyber crimes, an activist exposed the scam in the Electricity Site Office at Prothrapur, which allegedly could run into crores of rupees.
Though a fact finding committee reported major discrepancies in the revenue statements generated by the Billing Software installed in the Site Office by manipulating consumer database, the Anti-Corruption Bureau is reportedly only probing the financial irregularities and no action is being taken in the cyber fraud angle, for reasons best known to investigating agencies.
According to information divulged under the RTI Act, a fact finding committee for cyber crime reported discrepancies in the revenue statement generator of the FOXPRO-based Billing Software at the Prothrapur Site Office in the year 2013.
The report categorically stated that the discrepancies cannot arise unless any official modifies the database records and suspected officials of the Site Office to be involved in overriding or manipulating the software database to damage the smooth functioning of the Department.
The committee also recommended constitution of a committee to probe the charges. Accordingly, the Electricity Department constituted a three-member Committee in November 26, 2013 to inquire into the frequent alternations in the data of the FOXPRO application vis-à-vis past data and to assess the Web Based Billing Software at Prothrapur and Birdline Site Office for its readiness to roll out.
The Committee was directed to submit its report within 7 days. However even after a lapse of more than 18 months, the Committee has failed to submit its reports for reasons better known to the authorities.
A member of the Committee, requesting anonymity, said that it is beyond any doubt that the consumer database was manipulated by officials of the Site Office having access to the software.
Consumer details were altered to siphon off money from the government treasury. Had the Committee submitted its report within the stipulated period, atleast two to three officials would have been suspended or terminated from government service.
Many question whether it is an apparent bid to shield the officials involved in the scam? Aggrieved over slack action by the administration, some people shot letters to the Prime Minister of India, Central Vigilance Commission and the Central Bureau of Investigation after which the administration referred the case to the Anti-Corruption Unit. But strangely, the Anti Corruption Unit till date did not seize the Computer used in the scam.
Instead the Unit is investigating the monetary angle in the scam, while no case has been registered under the Cyber Security laws.
The Information Technology Act 2000 has recommends action against people found guilty in manipulating computer-related data, but the Anti-Corruption Unit did not register any case under those provisions.
If investigated properly, several startling facts will be revealed, the official said.
Highly placed sources told Andaman Sheekha that the Power Department is reeling under losses to the tune of over 30 crores.
The manipulation in the consumer database in the Prothrapur Site Office could also be an attempt to minimize losses in the official records.
“For the corrupt practices of some officials, the Electricity Department has suffered losses of crores for the last several years. The Electricity Department should investigate the case seriously and those found guilty should be taken to task,” says a
responsible citizen of these Islands.
Meanwhile, the RTI activist who revealed the scam in the Power Department is mulling over filing a Public Interest Litigation in the High Court of Calcutta. It has been proven beyond doubt that consumer database was manipulated causing loss to the government.
However, the Police has failed to initiate appropriate action. Immediate FIRs should be lodged and the suspects should be interrogated thoroughly. A case under the cyber security laws should also be initiated, the activist said.
However, Taking to Andaman Sheekha an officer of Electricity Department, who does not want his name to be quoted, claimed that this act did not cause any loss to the Government as fresh bills were later issued and a detailed report has been sent to EE Headquarter in this regard.
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